Every fall in East Dallas it happens the same way. We get a few cool mornings, then one night drops into the 40s, and half the neighborhood turns the heat on for the first time since February. Within an hour, the calls start: "Is that burning smell normal?" "Why is only one room warm?" "Why does the house smell musty now?"

Most of these problems are small and easy to catch ahead of time. Here is the short checklist we walk our East Dallas neighbors through, whether they live in a 1920s bungalow in Junius Heights, a 1950s ranch in Casa Linda, or run a shop along Garland Road.

1. Change the filter before you flip the switch

A dirty filter is the most common reason a heater runs long and heats poorly. Air cannot get through, so the system works harder and the house still feels cold.

• Pull the filter out and hold it up to a light. If you cannot see light through it, replace it.
• Write the date on the new filter's edge with a marker.
• Homes with pets, or homes near White Rock Lake and the Arboretum where pollen is heavy, usually need a new filter every 1 to 2 months instead of every 3.

2. Expect a little burning dust smell, but only for a little while

When a furnace sits all summer, dust settles on the heat exchanger. The first time it fires up, that dust burns off. A faint smell that fades within an hour is normal.

A smell that lasts longer, smells like plastic or hot wiring, or comes back every time the heat runs is not normal. Turn the system off and call an HVAC pro. We wrote a full guide on what a furnace burning dust smell means and when to worry, with a simple chart of which smells are safe and which are not.

3. Walk the house and feel every vent

Turn the heat on and go room to room. Hold your hand over each supply vent.

• Weak or no airflow in one room can mean a crushed or disconnected duct, often in the attic or crawlspace.
• A whistling sound usually means an air leak at a joint.
• Dust puffing out when the system starts means the ductwork is holding more debris than it should.

Older East Dallas homes are worth a closer look here. Many houses in Old East Dallas, Munger Place and Swiss Avenue had ductwork added decades after they were built, so the runs are long and twist through closets and crawlspaces. Those joints loosen over time.

4. Check for a musty smell on startup

If the house smells damp or musty for the first few minutes the system runs, moisture is likely sitting somewhere in the system, often on the coil or inside the ducts. This is common in pier-and-beam homes, where humid air from the crawlspace finds its way in.

A musty smell is worth checking before winter, because the system will run for hours every day once it gets cold.

5. Look at the dryer vent while you are at it

Fall and winter are peak season for dryer fires. Cooler, drier air and heavier loads of sweaters and blankets mean more lint.

• If clothes take more than one cycle to dry, the vent line is likely clogged.
• Go outside while the dryer runs. You should feel strong airflow at the exterior flap.
• Clean the lint screen every load, and have the full vent line cleaned once a year.

6. Test your carbon monoxide detectors

Any home with a gas furnace, gas water heater or gas stove needs working carbon monoxide detectors, one on each floor and one near the bedrooms. Press the test button on each one now, and change the batteries if you have not done it this year. Detectors also wear out, so check the date on the back and replace any that are past the maker's limit, usually 7 to 10 years.

A note for East Dallas business owners

Offices, salons, restaurants and retail spaces have the same issues on a bigger scale. A clogged filter in a small office can make the front room cold and the back room hot, and staff will feel it before you do. A few quick steps before the heating season:

• Put filter changes on a calendar, not on memory.
• Ask your HVAC company to check the rooftop units before the first cold front, not after.
• If you lease, read who is responsible for the HVAC in your lease before something breaks.

When it is time to call someone

Most of this checklist you can do yourself in under an hour. Call a pro if you notice a smell that will not go away, rooms that will not warm up, dust blowing from the vents, or a musty smell every time the system starts.

If you want a second set of eyes, our team handles air duct cleaning in East Dallas and across the neighborhoods around it, and we show homeowners camera photos of their ducts before and after so they can see exactly what was in there. Our office sits at Central Expressway and Mockingbird Lane, about ten minutes from Casa Linda.

Stay warm, East Dallas, and we will see you at the next Chamber event.

About the author: Bloom Air Duct Cleaning is a Dallas air duct, dryer vent and HVAC cleaning company located at 6060 N Central Expressway, Suite 5124, Dallas, TX 75206, and a member of the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce. Phone: (469) 517-1229.